All the Freebies You Can Get on the First Day of Spring

While it still seems like winter outside in some parts of the U.S., the first official day of spring is right around the corner. On Monday, March 20, stop by and pick up a frozen treat (for free!) at both Rita’s Italian Ice and Dairy Queen locations to welcome the new season.

For over 20 years, Rita’s Italian Ice has celebrated the beginning of spring by giving away free Italian Ice to customers. Last year, the popular chain gave away almost 1 million cups of Italian Ice in just a nine-hour period. And despite the fact that many places in the U.S. still have snow on the ground, Rita’s is ready to bring you out of winter hibernation when you stop by any location from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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Rita’s is also encouraging fans to creatively photograph their free ice and post it to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag #RitasFirstDayofSpring. One grand prize winner will receive free Italian ice for a year, a bag of Rita’s swag, and a shout out on the company's social media pages. Twenty-four second-place winners will receive a $25 gift card.

If you’re more in the mood for a cold, creamy treat, stop by Dairy Queen for a free small vanilla cone to celebrate Free Cone Day. The celebration is going on all day long, with one catch: DQ locations that are located in malls are not part of the promotion.